1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for feeding pets and, more particularly, to a pet food server that automatically provides wet food from recently opened cans to a pet at predetermined time intervals.
2. Description of Related Art
Various devices for automatically feeding pet animals is known in the prior art. More specifically, by way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,622,655 to Springett discloses an automatic food dispenser for animals, fish or the like, comprising a housing, controls, and with a hopper within, for containing food, the base of the hopper having an opening for the food to exit, and the opening is in close proximity to a dispensing mechanism. The mechanism has a surface which creates a seal that prevents the undesired escape of food from the hopper and has an aperture on its surface, where, with the rotation of the dispensing mechanism about its axis, and the subsequent alignment of the aperture with opening at the base of the hopper, feed may escape from the hopper through the aperture, and hence directly through the open base of the dispensing mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,171 to Ewell discloses an automatic animal feeding apparatus having an exterior cabinet, a base member supporting the exterior cabinet, a water tank disposed within the exterior cabinet, and a food hopper disposed within the exterior cabinet and positioned adjacent to the water tank. A food bowl and a water bowl are positioned substantially on a top surface of the base member. In addition, there is a first pressure sensing mechanism for generating a first analog signal corresponding to the weight of the water bowl, and a second pressure sensing mechanism for generating a second analog signal corresponding to the weight of the food bowl.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,849 to Ryan discloses a dispensing device which has an open ended cylinder member for receiving a can container having an open end supported on an annular shoulder at one end of the cylinder member. A cup shaped piston, extendible and retractible relative to the other end of the cylinder member carries a piercing member to pierce a hole in the closed end of the can on an initial retraction of the cup shaped piston within the cylinder member. A second retraction of the piston applies pressure on the material in the can for discharge from its open end into a material receiving chamber from where it is ejected into a feeding dish. An air bleed hole in the piston is open during the piercing operation and manually closed when material is to be discharged from the can.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,483 to Sobky discloses a device for serving fresh moist pet food and/or water at preselected time intervals. A tray is provided which has multiple upwardly opening compartments disposed circumferentially about a central vertical axis. The compartments contain moist pet food and also water if desired. A circumferentially continuous sheet of wrapping material overlies the compartments of the moist pet food. The compartments are serially exposed at preselected time intervals, and the wrapping material is removed from the exposed compartments as they are exposed, so that the moist pet food and/or water is provided at selected intervals.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,079,699 to Longmore, et al. discloses a container where the upper part is a storage unit for feed and, at the bottom of the storage unit there is a small opening in which rollers are located close together and are energized to let the food pass between them. The rollers are counter rotated to slowly turn and dispense the food onto a tray which will at a given weight, adjusted by a control level located in the back, dump the dry feed into a dish outside of the container. This process is triggered by a timer that actuates the motor driven rollers to allow them to pass the food into the tray. As the tray is being measured, water is also being released and, if desired, may mix with the food. The water is at the same time also going into a separate water container for the purpose of drinking. The invention solves the problem of leaving an unattended animal for periods of time where the animal would otherwise need food and water. The animal may be fed either dry or moistened food either once or twice a day, at the owner's discretion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,077,369 to Figlia discloses an apparatus for a single feeding of an unattended pet out of an initially hermetically sealed can of pet food. In operation, when the motor is started to effect rotation of the gear, the cam forces the cam follower and therewith the slide member downwardly slightly, so that the cutter blade is forced through the lid of the can at the beginning of the cycle and is then held there while the can turns to sever the lid from the body of the can. At the end of the cycle, a rise in the cam raises the cam follower and the slide member to retract the cutter blade upwardly and thereby to release the can and concurrently to open the motor energization circuit. A ramp is provided below the cutter blade and turning gear combination for guiding the lidless released can to a receiving location outside the housing where the can will be accessible to the animal to be fed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,044,722 to Bradshaw discloses a timed pet food dispenser wherein a plurality of insulated and covered food containers are rigidly and removably mounted to a rotating dispensing wheel for periodic automatic dispensing of the pet food at predetermined times by gravity to a pet food pen.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,782,332 to Depenthal, et al. discloses a feeding device for the automatic feeding and watering of cats and dogs. The feeding device includes a food container having a plurality of individual food storage compartments mounted on a delivery chute for delivering food from each compartment to a feeding pan upon the selective opening of closure members. The feeding device also includes a watering device having a water storage container, a valve operably connected to the water storage container and a watering pan for supplying water from the container to the watering pan on demand.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 338,287 to Tonner discloses an ornamental design for a timed pet feeder